1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to a shift lever device which is mounted to a vehicle for changing shift ranges in a transmission.
2. Description of the Related Art:
As a device for changing a plurality of shift ranges set in an automatic transmission of a vehicle, there is provided a shift lever device in which a shift lever, which is mechanically connected to the automatic transmission, is operated (is pivoted) select to a shift range corresponding to a pivot position (a shift position).
Among such shift lever devices, there is a so-called straight type shift lever device in which a shift lever pivots only about an axis whose direction corresponds substantially to a vehicle transverse direction (hereinafter, an operation of a shift lever about an axis which corresponds substantially to a vehicle transverse direction is referred to as a xe2x80x9cshift operationxe2x80x9d). There is also provided a shift lever device in which a shift lever pivots about an axis whose direction is substantially the vehicle longitudinal direction to change shift ranges further, from one end portion of a range of the above-described shift operation (hereinafter, an operation of the shift lever about an axis which corresponds substantially to the vehicle longitudinal direction is referred to as a xe2x80x9cselect operationxe2x80x9d). In this type of shift lever device, the shift lever is moved substantially in a reversed L-shape, as seen from above. Thus, hereinafter, for convenience, this shift lever device is referred to as a xe2x80x9creversed substantially L-shape shift lever devicexe2x80x9d in order to distinguish it from the straight type shift lever device.
In the reversed substantially L-shape shift lever device, a shift lever and an automatic transmission are directly or indirectly connected with each other via mechanical connecting means such as wires or the like. For shift operations, the automatic transmission is operated by changes of an amount of displacement of the connecting means in accordance with changes in position of the shift lever. For a select operations, for the benefit of the automatic transmission, a microswitch is used to electrically detect a select operation of the shift lever. In accordance with results of detection, a control device such as a computer or the like operates the automatic transmission.
However, in general, the above-mentioned microswitch is expensive and the cost of the whole shift lever device may be high. Also, in addition to space required for the shift lever device, space for mounting the microswitch is needed. As a result, the device becomes larger.
In view of the aforementioned facts, an object of the present invention is to provide a compact and inexpensive shift lever device in which whether or not a select operation has been carried out can be reliably detected.
In the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a shift lever device for use with a transmission for selecting a transmission shift range, the device comprising: a slider which is moved from a reference position to a first detection position by one of a shift operation of the shift lever to a first operation position which is at an one end portion of a range of shift operation of the shift lever, which the one end portion is opposite an other end portion of the range of shift operation, at which the other end portion the range of shift operation communicates with a range of select operation, and a shift lever action at the first operation position; a slider operating device moving to a position one of whereat the slider operating device can abut the slider or the slider operating device abuts the slider, by one of a shift operation of the shift lever to a second operation position, which is at a side of the other end portion from the first operation portion of the range of shift operation, and a shift lever action at the second operating position, and causing to move the slider via the reference position to a second detection position, by one of a select operation of the shift lever to a third operation position which is at an end portion of the range of select operation, which end portion is at a side of the range of select operation opposite to a side thereof at which the range of select operation communicated with the range of shift operation, and a shift lever action in accordance with the select operation; and a slider position detection device which detects movement of the slider to the reference positions, the first detection position and the second detection position; wherein the reference position is positioned between the first detection position and the second detection position.
In accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, firstly, when the shift lever is shift-operated to the first operation position in the shift operation range, the slider is moved from the reference position to the first detection position by the abovementioned shift operation or by a shift lever operation at the first operation position. That the slider has been moved to the first detection position is detected by the slider position detecting device. Thus, it is detected that the shift lever has been shift-operated to the first operation position.
Next, when the shift lever is shift-operated from the first operation position to the second operation position, which is at the side of intersecting portion of the shift operation range and the select operation range from the first operation position in the shift operation range, the slider operating device abuts the slider or moves to a position at which the slider operating device can abut the slider. In this state, when the shift lever is moved to the third operation position, which is the end portion of the select operation range that is opposite to the intersecting portion of the shift operation range and the select operation range, in accordance with the select operation of the shift lever, the slider operating device moves the slider from the reference position to the second detection position by moving the slider in a direction which is different from the direction from the reference position to the first detection position. That the slider has moved to the second detection position is detected by the slider position detecting device. As a result, it is detected that the shift lever has been shift-operated to the third operation position.
In this way, in the first aspect of the present invention, whether or not the shift lever has been select-operated to the third operation position by the slider position detecting device for detecting whether or not the shift lever has been shift-operated to the first operation position. Thus, costs can be extremely inexpensive.
Especially, there has been conventionally used a detecting mechanism for detecting whether or not a shift lever is positioned at a parking position, which is an operation position of the shift lever corresponding to a parking range in which wheels of a vehicle are locked, because such a detecting mechanism is necessary as part of a shift lock mechanism that locks the shift lever at the parking position. Thus, when the first aspect of the present invention is set up such that the first operation position is the parking position, it is possible to detect that the shift lever is moved to the third operation position using a part of the structure that is necessary for the shift lock mechanism. As a result, costs required for the shift lever device can be further reduced.
In the second aspect of the present invention, the shift lever device in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention further comprises: a detent member which moves with the shift lever in accordance with the shift operation and the select operation of the shift lever, which is displaced relative to the shift lever from a restriction position to a restriction releasing position in a longitudinal direction of the shift lever by a predetermined releasing operation, and which engages with the slider one of directly or indirectly in a state in which the shift lever is positioned at the first operation position so as to move the slider from the reference position to the first detection position in accordance with a movement of the detent member from the restriction releasing position to the restriction position; a restricting portion, in a state in which the shift lever is positioned at the first operation position and the detent member is positioned at the restriction position, opposing the detent member along a direction of the shift operation from the first operation position, and which does not oppose the detent member when the detent member is at the restriction releasing position; and a shift lock device which is provided on a locus of movement of the slider from the first detection position to the reference position, and which restricts a movement of the slider from the first detection position to the reference position, and which is removed from the locus of movement of the slider under predetermined releasing conditions.
In accordance with the second aspect of the present invention, when the shift lever is shift-operated to the first operation position, the detent member directly or indirectly engages with the slider. In this state, when the detent member is moved from the restriction releasing position to the restriction position, the slider is moved from the reference position to the first detection position together with the detent member.
In the above-described state, the detent member faces the restricting portion along the direction of the shift operation of the shift lever from the first operation position. Thus, if the shift lever starts to be shift-operated, the detent member abuts the restricting portion. Thus, the shift operation of the shift lever is indirectly restricted.
A state in which the detent member faces the restricting portion along the direction of -the shift operation is released by releasing operation, namely, by moving the detent member from the restriction position to the restriction releasing position. Thus, in this state, the shift operation of the shift lever from the first operation position is possible. However, movement of the slider from the first detection position is restricted by the shift lock device provided on the locus of movement of the slider from the first detection position to the reference position. Therefore, the detent member cannot be moved to the restriction releasing position and the shift lever cannot be shift-operated.
The shift lock device is removed from the locus of movement of the slider under predetermined conditions, such as when a braking device of the vehicle is operated or the like. In this state, the slider can be moved from the first detection position to the reference position. Further, the detent member can be moved to the restriction releasing position.
As described above, in the second aspect of the present invention, the shift operation of the shift lever from the first operation position is restricted until predetermined releasing operations and conditions are satisfied. Therefore, careless shift operation of the shift lever can be prevented.
In the second aspect of the present invention, the slider forms a part of the restricting mechanism of the shift lever which has been described above and therefore the device can be made compact. Further, costs can be inexpensive.
In the third aspect of the present invention, the shift lever device in accordance with the first or the second aspect of the present invention further comprises: a slider operating member which is moved in a direction of the select operation by being pressed by the shift lever during the select operation, and which, in accordance with movement in the direction of the select operation direction, applies a pressing force to the slider one of directly or indirectly to thereby move the slider to the second detection position.
In accordance with the third aspect of the present invention, when the shift lever is select-operated, the slider operating member which forms the slider operating device is pressed by the shift lever and moved in the select operation direction. Further, the slider operating member which has moved in the select operation direction directly or indirectly presses and moves the slider to the second detection position. Thus, the slider position detecting device detects that the slider has moved to the second detection position, and it is detected that the shift lever has been select-operated to the third operation position.
In the third aspect of the present invention, a direction of movement of the slider operating member in accordance with the select operation of the shift lever is the select operation direction. However, a direction of movement of the slider pressed by the slider operating member which moves in the select operation direction need not be the select operation direction.
In the fourth aspect of the present invention, the shift lever device in accordance with the third aspect of the present invention further comprises: a link member provided such that a distal end portion thereof corresponds to the slider and a proximal end vicinity portion thereof corresponds to the slider operating member, and which is pivoted about a proximal end portion of the link member by a pressing force applied to the slider operating member and which thereby presses the slider with the distal end portion to thereby move the slider to the second detection position.
In accordance with the fourth aspect of the present invention, when the shift lever is select-operated, the slider operating member which forms the slider operating device is pressed by the shift lever and moved in the select operation direction. Further, the slider operating member, which has moved in the select operation direction, presses the proximal end vicinity portion of the link member which also forms the slider operating device together with the slider operation member so as to pivot the link member about the proximal end portion thereof. The distal end portion of the link member presses the slider when the link member pivots, and moves the slider to the second detection position.
Accordingly, the slider position detecting device detects that the slider has been moved to the second detection position. As a result, it is detected that the shift lever has been select-operated to the third operation position.
Here, when an object pivots, an amount of displacement of the object in the pivoting direction at a distal end portion thereof is larger than that the same at a proximal vicinity end portion thereof. Accordingly, the slider can be moved further than a moving distance of the slider in a case in which a slider operating member which moves in the select operating direction moves the slider directly. As a result, it is possible to more accurately detect whether or not the shift lever has been select-operated to the third operation position (i.e., the detecting accuracy of whether or not the shift lever has been select-operated to the third operation position is enhanced).